It looks like the Miss World is coming to the UAE for the first time ever! On Monday, Miss World Limited announced that the 71st edition of the beauty contest will be held there, marking its first trip to the Middle East since Nepalese-born British entrepreneur Deependra Gurbung became co-owner of the company. “We are thrilled to announce that Miss World Limited has decided to host its 71st edition in the UAE,” Morley wrote on Instagram. “More details to follow soon, including a date and location.”

The most recent edition of the competition took place in Puerto Rico in March of last year. Karolina Bielawska won the title as a Polish beauty queen for the second time in her career. She beat out the runners-up, Miss USA Shree Saini and Ivory Coast’s Olivia Yacé, who had been the favorite to win, to become the second Polish beauty queen in the history of the competition.

This year’s edition was postponed from December 2021 after the coronavirus outbreak that affected hundreds of contestants and crew members in December 2021 delayed the annual beauty contest for the second consecutive year. More than 98 contestants from all over the world competed in the competition, including the first-hijabi candidate Khadija Omar from Somalia. Prior to Bielawska’s title, the longest-running titleholder in the history of the annual beauty contest, Miss Jamaica World 2019 and former Miss Universe, Toni Ann Singh, held the title for a second consecutive year following the postponement of the competition due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Established in the United Kingdom in 1951, Mr Morley went on to become “Mr World” after establishing the renowned beauty competition. Morley’s widow, Julie, co-chairs the event since its inception in 2000. Gurung acquired the business in November of last year. The competition was established in the United Kingdom and is the world’s oldest continuously running beauty contest. Since the death of Morley in 2000, the event has been co-hosted by his widow, Julia. Gurung purchased the company in November of last year. As per the rules of the competition, participants must be unmarried, childless, aged between 17 and 27, and residents of the country in which they are competing.

The United Arab Emirates hasn’t entered a delegate in the Miss World competition yet, but they have been part of the Miss World competition before. In 2021, they made history as the first Mrs UAE beauty queen to make it to the top of the leaderboard when Debanjali Kamstra came in third place. The Miss World competition was first held in 1984 and it’s been held all over the world since then, from India, Russia, South Africa, and South Korea.

In last year’s edition, the new beauty queen winner was crowned at a star-studded ceremony in Las Vegas on December 17. The event, which was live-streamed around the world, was hosted by English-Australian singer and television personality, Peter Andre and was held at the Wynn Residences in Las Vegas. The United Arab Emirates’ Pamala Serene represented the country but did not advance to the final round. India’s Sargam Koushal emerged as the winner after defeating 63 other contestants in the competition. The 45-year-old teacher and model, who hails from Mumbai, was crowned the winner on December 17.

 

 

 

 

Picture Credits: Miss World Official Page